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Massive Car Flops Released By Ford & GM Over The Last 40 Years

Cameron Eittreim July 14, 2022

30: Ford Focus

The Focus had a lot of potential for sure. The Focus was one of the best-selling compact cars for Ford but it wasn’t without issues. Early on, the focus was plagued with reliability issues, and this had not been subsided by the newer generations of the car. The automotive press was quick to point out the shortcomings of the car throughout its model run and sales started to slump (via Car and Driver).

Had consumer tastes not shifted in the last decade, the Focus could have remained a popular car. But it just wasn’t in the cards for the Focus to make it in this world. Consumers were fed up with the cheap design and transmission issues that have always plagued these cars. When you get an affordable car you at least want it to be reliable. The Focus was far from reliable during its production run and there wasn’t much that could fix that.

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29: 1996 Ford Taurus

The 1996 Taurus is one of the most lampooned vehicles in history. Ford took what was a winning formula and completely threw it out the window with this generation of the car. Consumers couldn’t get over how much of a radical change had happened to the Taurus. Every inch of the car was an oval, and Ford incorporated this into the design. The problem was that consumers didn’t need a car that was this radical, and the Taurus never recovered from that (via Road and Track).

This generation of the Taurus was also home to many issues, including transmission failure. Ford would address these reliability problems but it was not enough to bolster the image of the car. The Taurus would not last much longer after this generation, and part of the reason is Ford had lost the core Taurus customers.

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28: Lincoln Aviator

In the 2000s, the SUV segment was the hottest in the hottest world and everyone wanted to get in on it. Consumers could not get enough of these things, so Ford saw fit to introduce a baby-sized Navigator into the mix. Dubbed the Aviator, the small SUV shared a design with the Ford Explorer, but what differentiated the two was what was under the hood. The same engine used in the Mustang Mach 1 was under the hood of this (via Car and Driver).

While the initial reviews for The Aviator were good, the problem was its high price tag. The SUV was priced close to the Navigator, and for many consumers, this didn’t make any sense. They could go a get a fully-loaded Navigator that would seat seven for not that much more. The Aviator was discontinued pretty soon after that, and there were reports of reliability problems as well. Nowadays, this SUV is a rare sight, although you will see them from time to time.

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27: Ford Taurus X

The Taurus was discontinued in the 2000s, and after that, it seemed like Ford lost a valuable brand name. Love it or hate it, the Taurus was one of the most common cars on the road. So to boost the lagging sales of Freestyle, the brand was revived once again. This time Ford would rebrand the Freestyle as the Taurus X to give it a broader appeal. The re-branding effort didn’t work as the Taurus X was not popular (via Car Gurus).

The problem was that the Taurus X didn’t offer enough for the consumer and the high price tag drove buyers away. The build quality was also questionable and there were early reports about transmission failures. When you are buying a brand new car the last thing that you want is for the transmission to fail. The Taurus X didn’t last long on the market, although Ford did revive the Taurus nameplate one more time after this.

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26: 2000 Mercury Cougar

The 2000 Mercury Cougar was built in an attempt to bring new life to the Mercury lineup. For all of the 1980s and 1990s, the Mercury lineup was nothing more than a showcase for rebadged Ford models. The Cougar was its own unique car from the styling to the marketing and it was initially a hit. The problem was its build quality and lack of performance that disappointed drivers once they got behind the wheel (via Car Gurus).

The Cougar was always a V8-powered rear-wheel drive car but now it was sort of the domestic version of the Hyundai Tiburon. The build quality of the car wasn’t great either and there were complaints about the transmission. The Cougar didn’t stay on the market long and by 2004 it was discontinued. The car had a lot of promise, but a lack of build quality just made the Cougar doomed from the start and Ford discontinued Mercury not long afterward.

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25: Lumina APV

Who can forget the famous dust buster vans of the 1990s? GM’s failed attempt to steal the minivan segment from Chrysler. The only problem was that no one was a fan of the styling of these vans. The design was meant to be futuristic and make the driver feel in control, but from day one the vans were dubbed “Dust Busters”. The sloping nose and the awkward style of the exterior made the vans the butt of jokes from the automotive press and consumers (via Car Gurus).

While the idea to make a unique product that was one of a kind was commendable, the dust buster vans just didn’t work for consumers. The styling was too radical, and the performance was mediocre at best. The car had a lot to offer in terms of design, which made it appealing to some buyers who wanted something different. But it wasn’t enough to boost the sales and these vans will forever get made fun of for their styling.

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24: Chevrolet Cavalier

The Cavalier was the pinnacle of a bad car and there was no reason for it. The car had a cheap design from day one, with GM using the most minimalistic approach that they could. The cheap interior would fall apart and the plastic would crack soon after the car was on the road. The air conditioning would seldom work and even the radio was faulty. Not to mention the main problem, the fact that the Cavalier was not a reliable car (via Hemmings).

Surprisingly, GM kept the Cavalier in production for over 30 years. Sales numbers were never great but they were never awful either. The car was more known for being purchased by large fleet buyers or rental car companies. But with all of its problems, its reputation was tarnished quite quickly. GM replaced the Cavalier in the 2000s with the Cobalt, which was a better and more modern car.

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Chevrolet Corvair via Motor Trend — Photo Credit: Motor Trend

23: Chevrolet Corvair

The Corvair was a controversial car and the reason we have such strict safety regulations when it comes to vehicles today. This was the car that inspired Congress to mandate that all new vehicles had seatbelts. It was not that the Corvair was a bad car, but there were aspects of its design that made it unsafe. GM addressed these problems with recalls later on down the road, but it was far too late as its reputation had already been tarnished (via Gold Eagle).

They said the Corvair was unsafe at any speed and Ralph Nader even wrote a book about the car. Sadly, the Corvair was discontinued not that long after and the car has become a collector’s item. The design of the Corvair was attractive, if not the most unique design at the time. The proportions of the car were much smaller than anything else on the market. But with the faulty design from the jump, GM was marred in controversy over the Corvair.

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1986 Chevrolet Camaro Berlinetta via GM — Photo Credit: GM

22: Chevrolet Camaro Berlinetta

The Camaro Berlinetta was another bright idea that came out of GM in the 1980s to try and slap some luxury features on the Camaro. Dubbed the “secretary’s car”, the Berlinetta was designed to attract female buyers. The idea was that the softer image with the luxury appointments would make the car more appealing. The problem was that all this luxury raised the price tremendously and made the car a lot heavier (via LS1 Tech).

The core premise behind the Camaro was to provide a fun driving experience and the Berlinetta just didn’t do that. The car was much different than you’d expect a traditional Camaro to be. Nowadays, the Berlinetta is one of the rarest Camaro models on the road because there wasn’t a lot of them. So you can expect to find a pretty penny if you intend to drive away from this failed idea from GM.

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21: Chevrolet Monza

The need for compact cars was ever-growing in the 1970s and 1980s and this was a brand new segment for GM. This is why it seemed like they were throwing everything at the wall back then. The Monza is another example of that in a car with no purpose, and the design fell short. The reliability was questionable at best, with these cars having overheating problems and transmission problems right out of the gate and the small fixes from GM didn’t help (via EP Auto).

The design of the Monza had a lot of potential but paled compared to the problems the car had. Consumers wanted something reliable, especially when they were purchasing it brand new. The Monza would tarnish GM’s reputation even more during this period when it came to compact cars. Although this car stayed on the market for a short period, few remember it today.

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20: Chevrolet Citation

The Citation is another automobile that needs no explanation. If you were around in the 1980s, you remember seeing this awful car a time or two. The Citation was a compact car that was meant to replace the Vega and the models that had come before it. While the design was a little more modern, it was still poor. The build quality was subpar at best and the reliability was as awful as you could imagine, and this was when the car was brand-new (via eBay Motors).

The Citation would be sold for almost a decade in various forms. While initial sales numbers were good, the complaints from drivers were massive. From little complaints such as the radio dials falling off to more serious ones such as the car overheating. There’s no denying the Citation was a bad look for GM at a time when the company was trying to evolve.

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19: 1978 Chevrolet C/K Diesel

Like with the Tahoe Diesel, the diesel models that came before it didn’t do too well either. The C/K Diesel truck was not the most reliable thing on the road and the price to repair it haunted consumers for years. Although these trucks have picked up value in recent years it was not because of the drivetrain, that’s for sure. The C/K Diesel will be remembered for its awkward driving characteristics and lackluster reliability (via Diesel Place).

It took years for GM to launch a diesel-powered truck that could compete on a real scale. Modern GM trucks with diesel power plants are night and day better than they used to be. It was this example of why consumers had shifted to Ford during this period and the C/K would take years to recover its image. When you need a serious diesel-powered truck, you need it to be reliable and this just wasn’t.

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18: Chevrolet Venture

The minivan segment has been dominated by Chrysler for decades but that doesn’t mean that other automakers haven’t tried to jump into the mix. General Motors had many failed attempts to attract interest in the minivan market, although the Venture seemed to be the most successful. The problem with the Venture and its corporate twin, the Pontiac Trans Sport, is that they both received one of the worst crash test ratings in history by the IIHS-HLDI (via Money Inc.).

Once the news got out about the horrible safety rating, the Venture was quickly disregarded. Although there were several unique standard features, it just was not enough to dethrone the dominant Dodge Caravan. There were a few special editions of the Venture, such as the WB Edition, which was designed as a family-oriented luxury minivan. But none of this was enough to make the Venture a brand that would stick around.

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17: Chevrolet Monte Carlo Z34

The Monte Carlo from the 1990s was a sore spot for the storied automotive line. The car went from being a rear-wheel drive V8-powered car to what was basically a two-door Lumina. The V6 was lampooned for being underpowered and having cheap build quality. Early on, dials would fall off of the dashboard, plastic pieces would break, and there also was a defect with the air intake manifold. Consumers were upset that a car with such questionable build quality had the Monte Carlo name on it (via Repair Pal).

The Z34 was the furthest thing from exciting to drive that GM had released. The stock rims were not exciting and the lackluster paint scheme only added to the cheapness. Had the Monte Carlo gotten an original treatment like the 454 SS and the Impala SS it would have been a notable success. Unfortunately, GM dropped the ball on this generation of the Monte Carlo model and the brand never seemed to recover from the blunder.

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16: Chevrolet Tahoe 6.5L Diesel

The Chevrolet Tahoe has been a massive success for GM over the past three decades. But it was the first generation that introduced us to the comfortable full-size SUV. Before the Tahoe, the big truck-based SUV models were usually two-door and had a removable top. The Tahoe was a quiet and smooth riding SUV that was spacious and everyone with a family wanted one (via 6.5 Turbo Garage).

Less well-known and even regretted by GM was the diesel version of this Tahoe, considered one of the worst cars in GM history. The reliability was abysmal at best, even when the truck was brand-new. Tahoe buyers were generally interested in the gasoline version, but there were a few who opted for diesel. To this day, the diesel is rare and even more difficult to keep on the road.

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15: Chevrolet Vega

The Vega was not a bad concept initially. Take the fun to drive the formula of the Camaro and shrink it down into a gas-efficient package. Aesthetically, the Vega looked like the Camaro in many aspects, and consumers went for the attractive package. The Vega was panned for a lack of reliability and cheap build quality, with many defects coming straight out of the factory (via Macs Motor).

Compact cars coming out domestically around this period were not promising at all. There was a lot of potential with the Vega, especially considering the mini-Camaro styling, but it wasn’t enough to propel the car to success. When GM discontinued the Vega, it had not made a significant enough dent in the market and the competition was still for these compact cars at the time.

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14: Chevrolet Chevette

The compact Chevette was another car introduced to combat rising fuel prices. It wasn’t an easy task for domestic automakers, because they had to adapt quickly. There weren’t many gas-efficient cars coming out from domestic automakers. The Chevette was supposed to fill that gap, but the build quality was quickly panned by consumers who questioned the car (via The Truth About Cars).

General Motors went for the tried and true formula Toyota and Honda followed. The car had a four-door hatchback design with a cheaply put-together interior. The gas mileage was decent, but that was only when the car was running right. The reliability was questionable at best and the build quality was even worse. You’ll seldom see a Chevette on the road anymore, and when you do, it’s quite the sight to see.

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13: Chevrolet SSR

The SSR was another car with a lot of potential initially. The retro-themed styling was reminiscing of the El Camino. Most enthusiasts were excited to get a modern El Camino until the SSR was revealed. The front-end styling was panned for being too round and the truck bed was useless (via The Truth About Cars).

The SSR was a car with so much hype behind it that it could have been great. But like most GM products from this period, it didn’t resonate with consumers. There are a few cars from this era that instantly bring memories back and the SSR is one of them. Sadly, the car was poorly executed, and there are better options for the price, especially considering the high price tag of this car goes for.

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12: Chevrolet Camaro Iron Duke

The Iron Duke was a massive flop for GM, so much so that it almost tarnished the entire product line. The Iron Duke was the lethargic four-cylinder engine that GM was selling at the time. The modern four-cylinder motors that we have today are nothing like the awful engines coming out in the 1980s (via Auto Blog).

The Iron Duke is one of the most despised models ever released by GM. The performance of the car was not what Camaro loyalists had hoped for. Even though GM was working on trying to build a more fuel-efficient car in a pinch, the result just didn’t make sense. The Camaro was not meant to be an eco-friendly ride.

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11: Chevrolet Nova (Corolla)

GM has been in many different partnerships over the years but perhaps one of the longest-running and most confusing was the partnership with Toyota. This brought us many cars throughout the 1990s and 2000s, but the most disappointing was the Nova. GM took the well-respected Nova brand name and slapped it onto a compact Toyota Corolla (via Car Bibles).

About the only thing that was good about this car was the fact that it was a Toyota, which translated to reliability. Because the design of the car was quite cheap and the fact that the Nova name was tarnished like this was disappointing. GM would continue to sell the rebadged Corolla well into the 2000s, although it became the Prizm.

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10: 1975-1980 Chevrolet Corvette

The ’75 Corvette was a departure from the previous generations of the car. What made it different? Well, the styling for one thing was a lot more modern. But it was under the hood that things got questionable. All of a sudden, the engineers had to deal with all kinds of emissions laws and regulations that completely diminished the performance of the car (via Edmunds).

The Corvette would go through several renditions of the design but it just didn’t connect with consumers. This generation of the car was not only a massive departure for the company but also a letdown for Corvette enthusiasts. On the positive side, this is one of the most affordable Corvette models on the used auto market.

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9: 2006 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS

The next generation of the Monte Carlo SS was a carbon copy of the car that was in production for the previous six years. The new generation of the Monte Carlo SS did bring back the V8 engine. But it was a modern V8 engine, and critics panned it for lacking the necessary horsepower and performance to be a real sports car. The styling was also panned by the critics, who felt the car was just an outdated rehash of the outgoing model (via Top Speed).

The Monte Carlo was discontinued only a few years after it was released. The sales numbers were not what GM had hoped for since the car was not moving units. It appears that consumer tastes had just changed from what they were when this car was originally released. The Monte Carlo had a storied history at GM and this example of the car was just plain disappointing.

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8: Chevy Beretta

The Beretta was based on the Corsica, and the initial premise of the car was to replace the Camaro. Similar to how Ford had hoped the Probe would replace the Mustang. The Beretta was a letdown in terms of performance and most consumers were disappointed. Not to mention the fact that Camaro loyalists were not going to give up on the car for a V6-powered Corsica clone. This car marked a decline in quality for GM (via Best Ride).

While there were other options on the road in the same segment the fact that GM tried to replace the Camaro was troublesome. There was nothing remotely appealing about the Beretta. The car would end up being discontinued in the 1990s and the Camaro was eventually discontinued in 2002.

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7: Chevy Corsica

The Corsica was a compact car built by GM in the 1980s and 1990s. The compact design of the car was popular with rental car fleets and used car lots. The problem was that the design of the car was inherently cheap and it gave Chevrolet a cheap reputation. The cars coming out of Japan were far more advanced in terms of design and quality. The cheapest cars from Honda and Toyota were running circles around the Corsica (via Motor Biscuit).

The Corsica shared its platform with the Chevy Beretta, a two-door sports car. While both cars sold in average numbers they didn’t do much to boost the reputation that GM had for cheap products. Between the lackluster build quality and the questionable performance, the Corsica just didn’t latch on with consumers. There are a few cars remembered for being hunks of junk and the Corsica is one of these cars.

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6: HHR SS Panel Van

If you remember anything about the 2000s, then you remember the retro car boom. Where automakers were bringing retro car models onto the market that were influenced by the past. Volkswagen started the trend with the Beetle, and one of the last retro-themed cars was the HHR. This panel van was mocked for being a rip-off of the Chrysler PT Cruiser, and not only that, but it was also a rip-off that was far too late. The HHR SS Panel Van is rare and had no real point (via Motor Biscuit).

This car has recently ballooned in interest, as these unique cars were the last of pre-bankruptcy GM. But the car didn’t offer much in the way of performance or value. The HHR was lampooned for being a pale imitation of the already existing PT Cruiser. There were better cars in this segment for the price. Not to mention the fact that the HHR SS Panel was not the most reliable car, with the repair costs averaging more than other compact cars in this segment.

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5: Chevrolet Caprice (2010-2017)

When the revised Caprice was announced, the automotive press was all over it. After all, the Caprice line was a historic part of GM discontinued in 1996. The new model was revealed to be a Law Enforcement only model, but the examples have since made their way onto the market. GM missed a big opportunity by not releasing the Caprice back to the general market because many people have been waiting for a modern Caprice (via Auto Trader).

The Caprice was a stripped-down car with no personality, and Ford already dominated the law enforcement market and Dodge. The Caprice would be discontinued, and the car was never brought into the main lineup. There is no doubt that GM has missed an opportunity with this car and the Impala. Neither car was able to grasp onto the loyal following that would love to have a modern V8 engine powered sedan. The folks at GM think there is no market for it.

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4: Chevy Aveo

General Motors has sold some type of subcompact car since the fuel crisis of the 1970s. Anyone who knows anything about the history of cars knows that GM subcompacts have never been impressive. Cars like the Citation and the Geo Metro were sad and barebones at best, and then the Aveo came around. This car was derived from Daewoo engineering after GM purchased that company in the 2000s and the Aveo was a car sold around the world (via The Truth About Cars).

While the Aveo was light years ahead of the compact cars it replaced, it was still a minuscule subcompact. The reliability was questionable at best, and the styling was about as unmemorable as you could imagine. The Aveo was refreshed with a more modern design in the later years, but it wasn’t enough to boost sales. Consumer tastes were shifting and the Aveo didn’t resonate with consumers who wanted a reasonably priced subcompact car.

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3: Chevy Volt

After all the controversy that General Motors went through four decades before destroying the EV1, the Volt was big news. It was the first all-electric vehicle that was going to be mass-produced by GM. Undoubtedly, Tesla ruffled some feathers at GM, as the company didn’t expect EVs to take off as they did. The Volt was a reasonable-looking car with a comfortable interior and decent driving range but buyers weren’t too interested in it (via Shift).

There were a few incarnations of the Volt, and ultimately the model was discontinued from the market. There was a lot to like about the Volt, but consumers didn’t gravitate toward the car. But the Volt was important because it showed that GM could build a full-electric vehicle and bring it to mass production. Nowadays, there are a few notable EV models that have come out of GM, and it all stems from the original release of the Volt.

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2: Chevy Silverado Hybrid

As with the Tahoe Hybrid that was released around the same time, these vehicles were developed in response to the rising fuel prices of 2008. The problem is the Hybrid drivetrain was not much of an improvement over the standard models. GM would boast about the eco-friendly design of the Silverado Hybrid, but it didn’t resonate with buyers. Surprisingly though, the Silverado Hybrid was in its second generation, as there was a limited release before this model (via GM Authority).

Taking the Silverado Hybrid on the road was not like the standard models, it wasn’t off-road capable and it had a massive hybrid badge down each side of the vehicle. Considering there was a hefty premium in price, the Silverado Hybrid just didn’t make sense when you considered all the factors in ownership. GM would produce the Silverado Hybrid for a few more years until it would be changed for a more modern fuel-efficient system.

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1: Chevy Tahoe Hybrid

The 2008 economic recession had everyone on edge, and the first automotive segment to get hurt was full-size SUV models. Back before crossovers were all the rage there were only the full-size dinosaurs that roamed the roads. The Tahoe in particular got horrible gas mileage and was the furthest thing from being fuel efficient (via Car and Driver).

What was their answer? Slap a hybrid drive-train into the Tahoe and call it economical. The problem with this theory was that the Tahoe Hybrid was not much more fuel efficient than the regular models. The hybrid drivetrains back in 2008 were not as advanced as they are now, and the Tahoe Hybrid was a much more limited vehicle. Nowadays, this SUV is sort of a collector’s item. You’ll still see them on the road from time to time but it’s a rare sight.

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Massive Car Flops Released By Ford & GM Over The Last 40 Years

30: Ford Focus

29: 1996 Ford Taurus

28: Lincoln Aviator

27: Ford Taurus X

26: 2000 Mercury Cougar

25: Lumina APV

24: Chevrolet Cavalier

23: Chevrolet Corvair

22: Chevrolet Camaro Berlinetta

21: Chevrolet Monza

20: Chevrolet Citation

19: 1978 Chevrolet C/K Diesel

18: Chevrolet Venture

17: Chevrolet Monte Carlo Z34

16: Chevrolet Tahoe 6.5L Diesel

15: Chevrolet Vega

14: Chevrolet Chevette

13: Chevrolet SSR

12: Chevrolet Camaro Iron Duke

11: Chevrolet Nova (Corolla)

10: 1975-1980 Chevrolet Corvette

9: 2006 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS

8: Chevy Beretta

7: Chevy Corsica

6: HHR SS Panel Van

5: Chevrolet Caprice (2010-2017)

4: Chevy Aveo

3: Chevy Volt

2: Chevy Silverado Hybrid

1: Chevy Tahoe Hybrid

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